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Verses and 
Proverbs 







CHARLES ARCHIBALD BARRETT 




VERSES AND PROVERBS 



BY 



CHARLES ARCHIBALD BARRETT 




COPYRIGHT DECEMBER. 5916 



PRICE, 25 CENTS 



#v 



Contents 



NATURE POEMS 

An Address to the Ocean 5 

The Approach of Autumn ; . . . 6 

The Wind 7 

At the Brook 8 

The Beauties of the Night 9 

The Dew Drops io 

The Robin n 

Youth 12 

The Country Boy 13 

Down on the Farms 14 

MISCELLANEOUS POEMS 

A Birthday Greeting to Winnie 1 15 

A Birthday Greeting to Winnie 2 16 

The Lost Hour 17 

To My Dear Friend Guy P. Benner 18 

To an Honored Friend 19 

The Rustic Boy ■■'. 20 

Don't Forget the Old Folks at Home 21 

Duty 22 

To My Little Daughter Harriet 22 

Grandpa 23 

The Tread of Life '. .V. 24 

A Birthday Greeting to My Dear. Father. 24 

Bygone Days • 26 

Life 27 

The Force of Love 28 

Woman 30 

Brotherhood 31 

The Handiwork of God 33 

New Year Verses 36 

Proverbs 39 




JAN -8 1917 ©CI.A448844 



t 



PART ONE 

NATURE POEMS 

AN ADDRESS TO THE OCEAN. 

Thou dark, and deep, and mighty Ocean! 

Stretching West and East from shore to shore; 
Kissing the mainland in a glad commotion; 

Enchanting mankind with thy deaf'ning roar! 

Making beauty with white-winged waves! 

Making music with thy mighty roar! 
Dashing waters against the rocky caves, 

Whirling and surging through the gulf's great door; 

Dashing pebbles 'gainst the rock-bound beach; 

Embracing mainlands in mighty arms; 
Stretching farther than naked eye can reach; 

Nurturing islands bearing lofty palms. 

Giving every land caresses, 

Lingering at her wide-open door, 
Laughing, playing with the seaweed's tresses, 

Making music on her most ragged shore; 

Supporting upon thy massive breast 

A billion lofty, rolling billows, 
And each one bearing a white-winged crest 

Appearing like bleached and well-filled pillows. 

Thou mighty, dark, and deep-tongued Ocean! 

Who made thee so wonderful, so grand! 
Thou, three-quarters of the World's great portion! 

Ah, pray, who could have but the Master Hand? 



VERSES AND PROVERBS 



THE APPROACH OF AUTUMN. 

Oh! beautiful time of year, 

When the leaves are changing shades: 
When the Summer's end draws near, 

And th<; grasses droop their blades. 

The Summer birds are leaving 
For their home in Sunny South; 

The golden fruit is rip'ning, 
Most tempting unto the mouth. 

The buttercups and daisies 
Are fast fading in the fields; 

The rip'ning corn is growing 
And now filling full its shields. 

The sky is mild and sombre 
And takes on a grayish hue; 

The landscape in the distance 
Presents a most pretty view. 

The orchard's boughs are bending 
Low beneath their precious load: 

The goldenrods are blooming 
Close beside the country road. 

No other month or season 
Of which we now remember 

Brings more pleasing sceneries 
Than picturesque September. 



VERSES AND PROVERBS 



THE. WIND. 

The wind listeth and it whistles 
And travels a terrific pace — 

Combs the heads of yonder thistles; 
Runs the harnessed steam a race. 

It climeth o'er the mountains' peeks 
And entereth the meadow land; 

It Earth's remotest corner seeks; 
It chafes upon the Ocean strand. 

It singeth to the lofty pines 

And whispers to the tasselled corn; 
It snaps the clothes upon the lines 

And strews the leaves upon the lawn. 

It visiteth the Ocean cave, 

And with the pretty pansies flirts; 
It puts the white-cap on the wave, 

And rudely plays with ladies' skirts. 

It piles the whitened snow in drifts. 

Whirling on its furious course 
It sometimes giant trees uplifts 

By its great herculean force! 

It drives the clouds before the gale 
And wrestles with the falling rain; 

It puts its shoulder to the sail, 
And vents its fury on the plain. 



VERSES AND PROVERBS 



AT THE BROOK. 

I sat me down beside the brook 
'Mong the grasses and the flow'rs, 

And now all earthly cares forsook 
For a few complacent hours. 

The brook was merrily singing 

As it gently rolled along. 
The sweet notes of birds were ringing 

In many a joyful song. 

The scent of flowers came drifting 
Gently on the morning breeze, 

And the little birds were shifting 
In and out among the trees. 

The sheep and cattle came in file 
To the little brook to drink; 

The little lambs remained awhile 
Playing at the water's brink. 

As T sat there in my leisure, 

Sole spectator to the show. 
It now filled my heart with pleasure 

And inspired my soul to know 

That the Father up in Heaven, 

Who made both Heaven and Earth, 

Has to us poor mortals given 
Precious scenes of such great worth. 



VERSES AND PROVERBS 



THE BEAUTIES OF THE NIGHT. 

'Tis night. The Sun has left the West. 

Half all human kind 's fast asleep; 
The Moon peeps o'er the wooded crest; 

The Stars shine o'er the briny Deep. 

The Zephyr plays with spruce and pine, 
And coming fresh from mountain bower 

Inspires us to high thoughts, divine, 

And brings us scents from closing flower. 

Old Nighc holds foul behind her screens, 
And shri is sometimes dark and bleak, 

But she gives us glorious scenes 
If we but have the mind to seek. 

When Grand Old Sol bids us adieu, 
And Old Queen Moon flounts on the stage, 

The Angels deck the Earth with dew; 
The spider spins her silken cage. 

The silv'ry clouds float o'er our head; 

The Moon plays hide and seek behind; 
Fresh waters course the river bed 

And sing songs to the wearied mind. 

The Old North Star looks bleak and bland 

As it smiles on hut and palace. 
And lighting up the northmost Land, 

The Auroraborealis! 

The Great Yard L swings into place, 
And the Evening Star shines bright. 

These grandeurs greet us face to face, 
And this we call glorious Night. 



VERSES AND PROVERBS 



THE DEW DROPS. 

Sparkling little dew drops, 

Smiling in the shadows. 
The beauty of the hill-tops, 

The jewels of the meadows. 

Ever smiling sweetly. 

Never once complaining 
Whether the sun shines sweetly 

Or whether it be raining. 

The Sun's rays from heaven 

Reflected are by thee, 
And once again are given 

To the cause of charity. 

You teach us humankind 

Many a noble thought 
For your ev'ry act we find 

Not with vice, but virtue fraught. 

Each one of you are small, 

Yet your tiny portion 
Givea to the great seas — all 

Make the most mighty ocean. 

Through harmony and love 

In progress and reverse 
You most mighty forces move 

In this Grand Old Universe. 



10 



VERSES AND PROVERBS 



THE ROBIN. 

Hark, I hear the robin singing 

In the early break of day, 
And he to my heart is bringing 

Gladness in this month of May. 

How we love the little red-breast; 

How we welcome him again 
In sunny spring to build his nest 

Close beside our window pane. 

With great profit have we watched him 
Toiling on through sultry days; 

Nor forgetting, with a true vim. 
To begin each day with praise. 

He has never been a shirker; 

He never robbed his brothers; 
He has ever been a worker; 

He's always kind to others. 

We would wish that all humankind 
Would their duty do as well, 

Then we would have no fault to find 
And we'd have no tales to tell. 



11 



VERSES AND PROVERBS 



YOUTH. 

Oh Youth, a thing of pure delight — 
Refreshing — like a flower, 

Yet like the dew that falls at night 
Ah, it lasteth but an hour. 

And like the dew that was so bright 
In the earliest hours of morn 

Soon fadeth and is lost from sight, 
And ere long is gone — is gone. 

Fresh as apple blossoms, blooming 
Tn the merry month of May, 

And as sweet and unassuming, 
But she can not always stay. 

In her place Old Age is seated, 
And we look for her in vain. 
Now our fondest hopes are cheated 
And our pleasures turned to pain. 

But Old Age is pure and wholesome 
If not vice hath made him old, 

And his presence is not loathsome 
But he's honored more than gold. 



12 



VERSES AND PROVERBS 



THE COUNTRY BOY. 

The country lad is a hardy boy — • 

He's made of nerve, muscle and brawn; 

He's full of fun and he's full of joy; 
He's fed on eggs and fed on corn. 

He's to bed at night before the hens; 

Up in the morn before them, too. 
To feed the pigs that are in the pens, 

And milk the molly molly mu. 

Now he drinks the milk fresh from the cows 
And does not wish that it was beer, 

And he stows the hay upon the mows, 
And does it well without a fear. 

He does not smoke the foul cigarettes 
That waste one's vital force away 

Nor does he play the bookmaker's bets 
That always have a reckoning day. 

He has no use of a Doctor's care. 

His pulse is strong, his health is good, 
Appetite great, and complexion fair; 

He tills the soil and saws the wood. 

Now he goes a-hunting in the fall 
For the wild partridge and the deer; 

And if he gets no game at all, 

Returns undaunted in good cheer. 

Then he goes a-fishing in the summer, 

And often has to walk a mile, 
And if poor luck, without a murmur 

Cometh home with many a smile. 

Oh, thou robust youth down on the farm, 
Earnest student of Great Nature's Hand, 

A true witness also of her charms — 
Thou art most favored in the land! 



13 



VERSES AND PROVERBS 



DOWN ON THE FARMS. 

Come all ye people, large and small. 

Who dwell within the city; 
Come now, ye people, one and all. 

And listen to my ditty 

The theme will be the country life 
With all its glorious charms: 

Where boys and girls, for noblest strife 
Are reared, far down on the farms. 

Where can grown-up men and women, 
Where can little boys and girls, 

Drink so deep from Nature, say men, 
As where grasses blade unfurls; 

Where the squirrel and the wood-chuck 
Build their homes beneath the wall; 

Where the partridge and the wild-duck 
Are most plentiful in fall; 

Where the martin and the red-fox 

Have their habitation near; 
Where we see the thieving hen-hawks, 

Often, too, the pretty deer; 

Where robin's sweet notes greet us 

At the early break of day; 
Where the whippoorwill sings to us 

As we stow ourselves away; 

Where the corn-fields and the meadows 

Furnish beauty for the eye; 
Where the mountains cast their shadows 

And show green against the sky; 

Where the scen'ry is not blighted 
By rambling shacks that totter; 

Where the view is not short-sighted 
By walls of brick and mortar; 



14 



VERSES AND PROVERBS 



Where in fall we pick the apples 

From the orchard's bending boughs; 

Where in spring we tap the maples — 
Where drink milk fresh from the cows; 

Where the breezes from the mountains 

Put the vim into a man; 
Where the waters from the fountains 

Quench thirst as no liquor can; 

Where Great Nature's Hand is present 

Nearly ev'ry where around; 
Where environments are pleasant 

And pure atmospheres abound? 

PART TWO 

MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. 
A BIRTHDAY GREETING TO WINNIE. 

Dear Winnie, you are thirty-one to-day, 

And in the year of your existence 
May it be the month of May. 

May the summer months that follow — 
Coming on behind, 

Be so full of noble fruitage 
From your hands and heart and mind 

That the Father up in Heaven, 
Looking- down with eyes so mild, 

Willexclaim in gentle whispers, 
"Thou art my beloved child." 

May the Autumn and the Winter 
Be not desolate and lone, 

But may you have a glorious harvest 
From the deeds that you have sown 

In the months of warmth and sunshine — 
When the Sun was high — at noon. 



15 



VERSES AND PROVERBS 



A BIRTHDAY GREETING TO WINNIE. 
(My Wife) 

Another year in your Life's Book 

Appears to-day, Winnie Dear, 
And when its surface o'er you look 

May you find fine things to cheer. 

When you have written its pages o'er 

And prepare to turn again 
Another leaf, may you find more 

Of warm sunshine than of rain. 

Your copybook has been quite clear 

Through these thirty years and two, 
And if you've made mistakes, my Dear, 
They are exceedingly few. 

The Spring-time's blush and Summer's Sun 
Has unfurled your womanhood. 

May Autumn's time and Winter's run 
Bless you for true motherhood. 

As Summer's breezes kiss your hair, 
And the Summer's Sun your face, 

May Autumn's vigor keep you fair, 
May the Winter give you grace. 

Mav High Heaven smile upon you; 

May the Earth lend you her charm, 
To protect you and to cheer you 

And to keep you from all harm. 



16 



VERSES AND PROVERBS 



THE LOST HOUR. 

An hour lost from one's great endless chain of hours 

May seem of very little significance; 
But, comrades, in this great Universe of ours 

'Tis truly a very sad coincidence. 

In that very hour we may have sown some deeds 
Which could have brought forth good fruit an hundred fold. 

Alleviating our own and other's needs, 
Whether of friendship, of learning, or of gold. 

In that very hour might have burdens lightened 

For some unfortunate sister or brother, 
And might have a glorious friendship tightened 

And endeared ourselves firmer to another. 

We might have helped to make this old world better, 

And had for the Master a brighter story 
When called upon to loose our earthly fetter 

And enter within our new Home of Glory. 

We might in this precious, wasted hour of time 

Have added to our little store of wisdom 
And could have made our short lives more sublime 

And earned a brighter home within the Kingdom! 

An hour lost from Time's unceasing round 
Is lost forever and cannot again be found. 



17 



VERSES AND PROVERBS 



TO MY DEAR FRIEND, GUY P. BENNER. 

I have lingered in the forests, 
I have strolled across the fields, 

I have traveled on the waters 
Where the wind, the billows wields; 

I have studied human nature 

And the doings of mankind, 
I have studied earthly pleasures, 

But I still yet have to find 

A more priceless earthly asset 
Than is giv'n us in Friendship. 

Like the fragrance of the rosebud, 
The sweetness of the tulip, 

It enlightens and it brighetns, 
It makes our hearts the lighter; 

It reflects a wondrous lustre; 
It makes our lives the brighter. 

So of thee, dear Friend and Schoolmate, 
In the dear old State of Maine — 

Thine true Friendship cheers my vision 
As the sunbeams through the rain. 

Yes, we seem to meet but seldom 

In this earthly life, dear Guy, 
Bu f I'm sure we'll meet forever 

In the precious by-and-bye. 



18 



VERSES AND PROVERBS 



TO AN HONORED FRIEND. 

Now in mind I have a Preacher, 
With a heart true and tender; 

With a head that's full of knowledge- 
The Bible's true defender. 

All who know this goodly Preacher 
Know well that his mind is broad, 

Both upon the current topics 
And upon the word of God. 

He is young, the world's before him, 
And deeply on its very face 

May he firmly stamp his footprints 
Shaped by the God of Grace. 

May he not let other's dictions 
Mar his own most lofty thought. 

May his ev'ry action be with 
Individu'lism wrought. 

May he very well remember 
History's brightest pages far 

Are the ones that tell achievements 
Of some lone and brilliant star. 

And remember that Abe Lincoln 

Gave glory to our nation 
When alone and unadvised 

He wrote Emancipation. 

To thee, dear Friend and Brother, 
I give these benedictions — 

Mav the God of love inspire thee 
To serve thine own convictions. 



19 



VERSES AND PROVERBS 



THE RUSTIC BOY. 

Dear little man, with roguish eyes, 
That show as blue as are the skies; 
With face that shows a dimpled chin, 
But marked not by vice and sin. 

The dirt has soiled your little toes, 
The sun has froliced with your nose: 
Breezes from the mountain bower 
Have tanned you like summer flower. 

Ah, these are happy days to you; 
Your little cares, we know, are few; 
You yet have but to run and play 
Throughout the morn, throughout the day. 

You now have not to earn your bread, 
You now have not to strain your head 
To keep the wolf 'way from the door, 
To buy fine clothes for three or four. 

You have the making of a man, 
You're in the course your father ran. 
Strive hard to make your record clear; 
Do all things well without a fear. 

May Heaven's Angels guard your way 
Throughout the night, throughout the day. 
And now, my little man, adieu — 
We once were young the same as you. 



20 



VERSES AND PROVERBS 



DON'T FORGET THE OLD FOLKS AT HOME. 

When the parental roof you've left, 

Aud gone out in the world, 
Remember still, two hearts bereft 

Where your young life unfurled. 

A Mother's heart is beating fast 

And tears are in her eyes 
As, sighing, she reviews the past 

And scans the Autumn skies. 

A Father, too, is lonely there — 

He's longing for his child. 
His face it does bespeak of care 

Although 'tis calm and mild. 

Your Mother's hair is turning gray; 

Your Father shows the years 
That's gone since the sad parting day 

You left them in their tears. 

You may have oft forgotten them — 

They've not forgotten you; 
You may have seldom written them — 

They're yearning still for you. 

When from the old home you have gone. 
And through this world do roam, 

Remember still where you were born; 
Don't forget dear folks home. 



21 



VERSES AND PROVERBS 



DUTY. 

Let us walk the path of Duty 
With a strong and steady tread, 

Guided by our inmost conscience, 
Trusting in our God o'erhead. 

If the path be rough and ragged, 
And leads through the rugged field. 

Let us still proceed unflinching; 
Let us firmer grasp the Shield. 

Duty often calls us onward 

Through strenuous walks of Life, 

But she pays us well for toiling, 
If we conquer in the strife. 

Her wages are not paid in gold, 
Nor are they paid in silver, 

But they are the ages' praises, 
Living on — on forever. 

Jp Jp ^w 

TO MY LITTLE DAUGHTER HARRIET. 
(On her third birthday.) 

Little bright-eyed girlie, 

With cheeks of rosy hue; 
With golden locks, and curly; 

With eyes that are big and blue. 

You know not, little Miss, 

What lies in yonder way; 
Whether Life will be all bliss, 

Or be sprinkled with dismay. 

Your thoughts most fragrant are. 

Like rosebuds in the June. 
May they thus remain, so far — 

Through your Life's triumphant Noon. 

22 



VERSES AND PROVERBS 



When Autumn time of Life 

Is pictured on your brow, 
May you have withstood the strife 

With untarnished thoughts — as now. 

GRANDPA. 

Oh, the fun and oh, the glee 
We used to have on Grandpa's knee; 
Oh, the sports and oh, the glories, 
As we listened to his stories. 

We oft played pranks on Grandpa 
In our frolics after supper; 
But he, in grand sublimeness, 
Looked upon us still in kindness; 

Watched (us) as we were a-playing, 
Never chidings to us saying. 
I can see him sitting there, 
Resting upon his easy-chair, 

With his face (all) light and beaming, 
As perhaps he was a-dreaming 
Of (the) days when he was (but) a boy, 
And his heart all aglow with joy. 



23 



VERSES AND PROVERBS 



THE THREAD OF LIFE. 

This earthly life is but a span 
From the cradle to the grave. 

God made it optional to man 
To be Christian or a knave. 

If we always do our duty, 
Spinning out this thread of life, 

Asking aid from the Almighty, 
We shall conquer in the strife. 

We may color this thread in gold — 
Spin its length from Earth to Heaven, 

Or in colors sad to behold — 
Black in sins that's unforgiven. 

We may accept this gift from God — 

Inherit a Home eternal, 
Or end all glories by the sod — 

Enter on the dark infernal. 



A BIRTHDAY GREETING TO MY DEAR FATHER 
On His Sixty-ninth Birthday, September 12th, 1915- 

Poets do not oft take up their pen 

To write in metric verse 
The sacredness of a father's love 

Nor of his good converse, 

For, gifted as is the Muse's pen 

And lofty as her view, 
Unto such a sacred theme as this 

She cannot justice do. 

When I now take up my pen to write 

Of my beloved sire, 
'Tis only by his earnest request 

And by his own desire. 

24 



VERSES AND PROVERBS 



My heart is overflowing with love, 

My mind is full of praise 
For he who has a true father been 

Through all my boyhood days. 

The words that I write with ink and pen, 
These words on paper made, 

When years go by and centuries pass 
Are sure and bound to fade. 

But the love that is born immortal 

Will live on forever, 
And the passing of the centuries 

Cannot fade or sever. 

Your most noble conduct here has shown 
These hard and trying years, 

Hope is better than despondency, 
And smiles better than tears. 

This short and probational journey 
You're more than half way o'er, 

And its severest tides and tempests 
You'll encounter no more. 

May the rest of your pilgrimage course 

Be full of sun and calms 
As you near the Land that is promised, 

Land of heavenly charms. 

When the God of Creation meets you 

At the Heavenly Home, 
May He take you into His Mansion. 

With the Angels to roam. 



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VERSES AND PROVERBS 



BYGONE DAYS. 

Now my mind reverts to childhood 
While I am engrossed in thought; 

To the days of happy boyhood, 
To the days that now are naught. 

Once again I view with pleasure 
All the haunts of boyhood days, 

Where my hours were spent in leisure. 
Basking in the sunny rays. 

And once more I see the meadow 
Where then sang the bobolink; 

Where the silvery brook did flow, 
And where lived the timid mink. 

Now the orchard on the hillside 

Is presented to my eye, 
Where we picked the fruit for Yuletide- 

Baldwins and the Northern Spy. 

And again I see the horses 
Standing by the cedar hedge, 

And again the cows and bosses 
Grazing at the water's edge. 

Again I see the curtilage — 

Scene of many happy day, 
With its old and familiar hedge 

Standing by each side the way. 

And again I see my Mother 

Standing in the open door. 
Ah, how we do miss our Mother 

When she's on the Other Shore! 

Plainly I see my Father dear, 
Wafting me a long farewell, 

And in his eye there is a tear, 
Which doth of emotions tell. 

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VERSES AND PROVERBS 



While I meditate in silence 

On these scenes that's long gone by, 
My mind's busy in the silence 

And a tear is in my eye. 

LIFE. 

Livest there a man or woman 
Here on this old ball of earth 

Who loveth not this earthly life, 
Or who knoweth not its worth? 

We well know this life is transient, 
Made of few short years at most, 

Where a prize is won, immortal 
Or perchance forever lost. 

Hast thou not an able body? 

Hast thou not an intelect, 
Brighter far than any diamond, 

And more perfect and select? 

Oh, child of Fortune and of Fate; 

Child of pleasure and of pain; 
Thou art here upon probation 

That thou may'st have life again. 

Thinkest thou there was a motive 
Lurking in the Master's mind 

When He made this Grand Old Planet 
And adorned it with Mankind; 

When He filled the Earth with plenty, 

And with luxury besides; 
When He made the grand old Ocean, 

And invented winds and tides; 

When He made the great Sahara; 

When He made the Western Plain; 
When He made the Andes Mountains, 

And the Rocky Mountain Chain; 



27 



VERSES AND PROVERBS 



When He made the Mississippi, 

And the mighty Amazon, 
And the great Yosemite Valley 

For man's eyes to feast upon; 

When He made the Fir and Hemlock; 

When He made the Spruce and Pine- 
O'er all a splendid firmament, 

And adorned it with a sign;* 

When He gave His Son from Heaven, 

A glorious sacrifice! 
To instruct the minds of mankind 

The right road to Paradise; 

When He gave this Son and Offspring 
To be martyred on the Cross, 

That the faithful be rewarded 
And be sifted from the dross? 



*The rainbow. 

THE FORCE OF LOVE. 

Oh, Love, thou art a magic power! 

Both wonderful and strong. 
Thou cheereth us from hour to hour 

On our earthly course along. 

Thou art like electricity — 
So seemingly complicated, 

Yet glowing with simplicity 
Since thou hast been created. 

We cannot see nor hear thee, 
Yet we know that thou art present 

Wherever is humanity 
To make our lives more pleasant. 

28 



VERSES AND PROVERBS 



Thou seasoneth the affairs of men 

With a most delightful savor, 
And we have used the ink and pen 

To extend to thee our favor. 

Thou shineth through the open door 
And entereth at the swinging gate, 

To give to man of joy the more; 
To give to man a faithful mate. 

Thou shineth from a beautiful face 
Upon a strong and stern man's heart, 

And melteth it by thy charming grace 
And by thy powerful dart — 

He pauseth in the affairs of life 
To worship at thy glorious shrine 

And mingle with the harder life 
The pleasures that are thine. 

Thou conquereth with an easy grace 
Where no force of arms can conquer, 

And giveth a sweet and smiling face 
To the ones that thou doth conquer. 

Thou girdeth the Earth from Pole to Pole 

Wit a herculean strength, 
And sendeth the Angels of thy Soul 

Throughout its entire length. 



29 



VERSES AND PROVERBS 



WOMAN. 

She is extremely beautiful 

And most charming in her ways; 

She is altogether lovely — 
She's the joy of all our days. 

She's the fragrance of the morning, 
The beauty of the Noon-day; 

She's the shining light of evening, 
She's as sweet as flowers in May. 

She's the whiterose of the garden, 
The canopy's Ev'ning Star; 

She's the jewel of the desert — 
She's earth's better half by far. 

Sweetest, neatest and completest 
Of all earthly works and arts, 

She's the child of our affections 
And the keynote to our hearts. 

She's what gives this life the jingle 
On this terrestrial sphere. 

If she did not with us mingle 
Men would find no pleasure here! 



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VERSES AND PROVERBS 



BROTHERHOOD. 

Brotherhood, a glorious asset 
Of the which we may be proud; 

Which reflects most wondrous beauty 
Like the sun-struck evening cloud. " 

A sacred thing in life to me, 

Is man's humanity to man; 
The thought of bro'her helping brother 

In whatever way he can. 

We are weak and mortal creatures, 
Made of dust impure and vile; 

Made and put here by the Master 
To remain a little while. 

As we pass along Life's journey, 
On this earthly ball or sphere, 

Let us strive to help our brothers; 
Strive to comfort and to cheer. 

True enjoyment here is measured 
By the good that we can do; 

By our doing unto others 
As to us we'd have them do. 

In this world of short probation, 
Where we have not long to stay, 

Let's weld a band of brotherhood 
'Ere the parting of the day. 

We have some good examples 
In the Old World and the New, 

Of some nobel men and women 
With generous hearts, and true. 

Who have sacrificed high station 
And the wealth that they possess 

That they might give cheer and comfort 
To their brothers in distress. 



31 



VERSES AND PROVERBS 



Let us, too, be on the lookout, 
Both in sunshine and in rain, 

For some brother deep in anguish, 
Deep in sorrow and in pain, 

That we may give cheer and comfort 
To his wounded heart and mind 

'Ere he perish and is fallen 
On the desert waste — behind. 

Let us work and strive and struggle 
With a heart for any fate; 

Not of malice, not of censure, 
Not of greed, and not of hate; 

But a heart of tender mercy 
And of love for all mankind; 

Of compassion and of pity 
For the ones that's fell behind. 

Now, my fellow men and brothers, 

In this universe of ours 
May our deeds in fragrance blossom 

As in spring-time doth the flow'rs. 

In this great universe of ours 

Let us help and love our brother, 

Whether he be Jew or Gentile, 
Or whether white or other; 

Whether he have our religion 

Or another of his own. 
Not alone of our religion 

But the deeds that we have sown. 

Doth the Master take cognizance 
When He settles our account? 

I fin doubt about this doctrine, 
Read the Sermon on the Mount. 

32 



VERSES AND PROVERBS 



Let us follow the examples 

Of great hearts gone on before; 

Still augmenting, still improving 
All our talents more and more, 

Till at last, in exultation, 
We approach the Golden Door, 

There to dwell in glad contentment 
With the Angels evermore. 

THE HANDIWORK OF GOD. 

As I sat one day amusing 

Of this life and all its charms; 

Of its sorrows and its pleasures, 
Of its tempests and its calms. 

A little thought beset me 

And ere long it left me 
In a solitude and bliss — 

Beautiful World is this! 

Now my Muse was in me singing. 

My mind was wrapt in wonder 
At the beauties of the rainbow, 

The glories of the thunderl 

My Muse's bells were ringing, 

My soul in me singing, 
As in solitude and bliss 

What splendid World is this! . 

No mere human mind or master 

Can duplicate such splendor 
As where the sky the mountains meet 

Far in the distance yonder; 

Or where upon the hill top's crest 

The violets bloom serene 
Or through the georgeous mountain side 

Lies the dark and deep ravine; 



33 



VERSES AND PROVERBS 



Or where upon the mountain top 
The most lofty pine is found, 

Or where the sheltering nl~ove 
Forms picturesque gulf or sound; 

Or where in the early spring-time 
The grasses nplif 1 'he : - blades, 

Or where o'er looking the river 
Stand the lofty Palisades; 

Or where in grand sublimity 
With a roar and wi'h a hiss 

The oceans embrace the main-land 
With a tear and with a kiss; 

Or where the evening sun-set 
In colors both mild and loud 

Reflect a most wondrous beauty 
Upon yonder fleeting cloud! 

Now from my trance I awaken 
And behold things as they are — 

Behold both the ear'h and heaven. 
Behold both the Moon and Star — 

Behold us poor mortal creatures, 
The spectators to *he show 

Who seem to be oblivious 

To the grandeur come and go; 

Who applaudi'h not the Actor 
Of this moving picture show 

Whether He be on the hill top 
Or upon the billows go! 

Humanity, humanity 

Know ye not that ye are dust 
Made and put here by the Master 

Where moth doth corrupt — and rust? 

34 



VERSES AND PROVERBS 



Yet will ye be oblivious 

To the purpose and the thought 
That animates all Creation 

Will ye count it all as naught? 



35 



VERSES AND PROVERBS 



NEAR YEAR VERSES 

May Angels minister to you 
Throughout the coming year 

And give you thoughts pure as the dew 
And give you conscience clear. 



With a high and lofty purpose 
May we greet the coming year. 

May we face the tasks that greet us 
Without complaint, without fear. 



If the year that just has ended 
Has left rents within our hearts 

May the New Year have them mended 
Ere it from our presence parts. 



36 



VERSES AND PROVERBS 



Time is but an endless chain 

Made of days, weeks, months and years, 
Filled with pleasure and with pain, 
Seasoned too bv smiles and tears. 



May Heaven's High Angels attend you 
Throughout all the coming New Year 

And give you great strength and true virtue 
To do all things good without fear. 



May the year that is now dawning 

Inspire you like a summer's morning, 

And may it bring you every day 
Sunshine as bright as the rays in May. 



As another leaf you turn 

In Life's book of work and play 
May you find fine things to learn 

May you find kind words to say. 



37 



VERSES AND PROVERBS 



As the Old Year passes onward 

To be numbered with the past 
And the New Year comes rushing forward 

With the rest, its lot to cast 
May you still press on and upward, 

Pressing forward in the strife. 
May you not, your eyes turn backward 

To bewail mistakes in life. 



May this New Year bring unto you 
Rarest gifts from Earth and Heaven 

And may each daily act you do 
Win a prize by Angels given. 



38 



VERSES AND PROVERBS 



PROVERBS 



T'is just as easy to be kind 

As to be cross and cruel 
And we can always pleasure find in 

In each kind act's renewal. 



There is so much woe and sorrow 
On this terrestrial Sphere 

That we must today, tomorrow 
Strive to comfort and to cheer. 



He who would succeed in life must be a worker in the strife. 



Who would to great heights attain must from all evil things 
sustain. 



He who would perfection reach must practice much as well 
as preach. 



The boy who would make a successful man must improve the 
moments while he can. 



He who would receive from others must give freely to his 
brothers. 



Be liberal to the World. According as you give to Her of 
your loftiest energies will she reward you either in the 
present or future ages. 

39 



VERSES AND PROVERBS 



Many a noble mind has lived within an humble dwelling and 
many a rascal has enjoyed the comforts of a palace and 
ate from the frugel board of a king. 



A pound of will and a pound of pluck will often yield a ton 
of luck. 



Be kind to the aged — the scar of time may sometime rest 
upon your brow. 



The sinnow that does not get proper exercise wasteth away, 
and a talent which is not used looses its usefulness as a 
factor among the God-given accessories to man's make- 
up, and becomes as it were a decayed and dilapidated 
structure in our individual city of activity. 

Judge your fellow men and women by their general average 
and not by any one act, which may be far below their 
general average. 

A symmetry of purpose and of conduct is much more to be 
admired than a symmetry of physical proportions — The 
strenuous face and knotted cords have a beauty which is 
far superior to the well rounded curves and shapely 
forms of the lower type of human beauty. 



The thyme and purpose of the existence of man was never 
intended to be the mere dragging out of the space of time 
between the cradle and the grave, regardless of the wel- 
fare of his neighbors or of the better enlightenment of 
himself. 



Do not make a mistake in life more aggravated and deplor- 
able by wasting valuable time in lamenting it, but unite 
your energies in a new effort to avoid future mistakes. 

40 



VERSES AND PROVERBS 



Experience is an exact teacher but her wages are often too 
dear — if we would make the most of Life during our 
short sojourn here, we must profit by the experience of 
others, as we get them through books and tradition. 

"Of all sad words of ink or pen the sadest are these it might 
have been" — these words, of us, cannot be sung, if we 
learn Life's duty young. 

The habit of waste is a vice and he who indulges in it is 
pretty apt to come to want — If God cannot afford to 
waste out of His abundance, how can man afford to waste 
out of his small potion? 

Evil thoughts require as much effort as good ones, and un- 
kind acts consume as much vital force as kind ones and 
are much more fatigueing — are much less satisfactory. 

He who does, his duty shirk will find no pleasure in Life's 
work. 

The day that is lost from Time's unceasing round, is lost for- 
ever and cannot again be found. 

Simplicity in speaking and doing is a sign of greatness. 

A few thoughts truthfully and simply expressed, are much 
more impressive than many thoughts hidden under a 
heap of verbish garbage. 

The man that believes other men's wives to be better than 
his own is discrediting his own judgment and ability — 
is an unwholesome citizen. 



THE END 
41 



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